1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to large trash containers adapted to be emptied into trucks by raising and tipping the container to discharge its contents.
2. Background Information
For many commercial operations and large residential users of trash services, a large stationary container is often provided to receive trash. Typically the containers consist of a large steel receptacle having access doors for depositing the trash and also for permitting the trash to be emptied. Such containers are generally adapted to be mechanically raised by a waste disposal truck equipped to tip the container to a position where the trash will discharge by gravity into the truck.
The common practice in the waste disposal industry is to offer two choices of trucks. The first and generally older style of truck consists of a rear loading truck in which one end of the container is pivoted under the influence of a winch and cable hooked to the opposite end of the container. The truck driver will normally back up to the container, attach the winch cable and hook and then tip the container upward to a sufficient angle to cause the trash within the container to discharge by gravity into the truck.
In more recent years, the trend has been to utilize front loading trucks having a pair of forks extending forwardly and adapted to engage brackets on the sides of a trash container. The forks are adapted to lift the entire container up and over the front of the truck and to tip it backward at a sufficient angle to discharge the container contents into the truck. While the front loading mode of emptying such containers is generally preferred because of the speed with which it can be accomplished, many waste disposal companies still have rear load trucks in addition to front loading trucks.
Currently, the most common trash containers of this type have either a four or six yard volume, however, current designs of containers for rear load trucks are not adaptable or functional for front load trucks. Conversely, the front load type container designs are not adaptable to be used with rear load trucks.